New Delhi: Amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Palestine, the Congress party, on Wednesday, expressed its 'satisfaction' at the balanced position of the Government of India urging an immediate cessation of hostilities.
Congress also urged the government to use its good offices as a member of the Security Council with greater determination and persuasion.
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This comes two days after India, during an open meeting of the UN Security Council, urged both sides to show extreme restraint and refrain from attempts to unilaterally change the existing status-quo, while underlining the fact that 'immediate de-escalation' is the need of the hour.
"India’s historic position in support of the two-State solutions with appropriate recognition of East Jerusalem as the capital of independent Palestine must indeed be underscored. Sadly, the intrusion by Israeli forces into the Holy Al Aqsa mosque during Ramzan prayers ruptured the delicate peace in the region," Congress said in a statement.
It further added, "Whilst the rocket attacks by the Hamas cannot be condoned despite any provocation, at the same time the disproportionate retaliation by a much stronger, the organised military is unacceptable, particularly given civilian casualties including many women and children. Attack on media offices undermines the first principles of free flow of information."
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Congress also noted that amongst the casualties in Israel was the tragic loss of an Indian citizen from Kerala, Soumya Santosh, who was a serving nurse and even called it a matter of 'national mourning' for all the Indians.
Congress urged that both the parties must abjure violence and return to peace negotiations, asserting that there is no other path to a meaningful, peaceful co-existence of Israel and Palestine.
Earlier, on May 14, the Chairman of Congress' Foreign Department, Anand Sharma had asked the Centre to 'proactively work' to seek the urgent intervention of the UN Security Council in the Israel-Palestine conflict to restore peace in the region.
Sharma had stated, "The issue is both moral and humanitarian. India as a member of the UNSC should proactively work to achieve this objective."
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